The Trump Hotel Collection bolstered its credentials as a responsible corporate citizen this holiday season through its Thanks & Giving program that lets guests donate to the fight against pediatric cancer at St. Jude Children’s Research Center.
The Thanks & Giving program gave Trump Hotel Collection guests the opportunity to donate $5 or more to St. Jude’s. The program ran from Nov. 26 - Dec. 25.
“Building on the success of the Eric Trump Foundation, which has raised nearly $2 million to date for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Thanks & Giving program is designed to build awareness and raise funds for children fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases,” said Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, New York, and founder of the Eric Trump Foundation, New York.
The Trump Organization owns Trump Hotel Collection.
Memphis, TN-based St. Jude is a leading pediatric cancer hospital and research center.
The Thanks & Giving initiative is an extension of the Eric Trump Foundation, which was created in 2007 to raise money for St. Jude.
The initiative
Consumers checking in to select Trump locations were also given the chance to give to St. Jude’s.
Trump Hotel Collection properties in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Waikiki participated in the initiative.
Additionally, anyone making reservations with Trump Hotels throughout the year online have the option of donating $5 or more to the charity.
Consumers can do so by loading the Enhance Your Stay page in the booking section of the Trump Hotel Collection Web site, which includes a number of additional perks guests can select for their stays.
Donation option on Trump Hotel Collection booking page
The top choice on the page is a box for the Thanks & Giving campaign, which visitors could check off to make their donation.
The brand is raising awareness of the initiative through the placement of a clickable Thanks & Giving box on the homepage of the Hotel Collection Web site that leads to a page where visitors can find out more about the charity.
Trump Hotel Collection homepage
Likewise, the company has promoted the project through press relations efforts and social media such as its Facebook fan page.
Trump Hotel Collection Facebook page
Finally, consumers can also donate to St. Jude through the Eric Trump Foundation’s Web site, by clicking the Donate Now button on the left side of the screen, entering a monetary amount and entering their billing information.
Eric Trump Foundation donation page
Corporate citizens
Many luxury brands view cause-based initiatives as an important component of their marketing strategies, and not without reason.
The second most important quality consumers look for in luxury brands is ethics. Fifty-five percent of affluent consumers said that the quality was extremely important in upscale brands they shop from, according to a Unity Marketing study (see story).
Likewise, a September study from CIBJO found that luxury brands would need to embrace social responsibility or risk losing business (see story).
Brands such as The Macallan (see story), Land Rover (see story) and Mercedes-Benz have all orchestrated high-profile philanthropic efforts in recent months (see story).
Trump Hotel Collection said the Thanks & Giving program and the partnership between the Eric Trump Foundation and St. Jude has been a success.
“It is an honor for the Trump name to be affiliated with the world’s foremost children’s cancer research hospital, St. Jude,” Mr. Trump said. “I can’t think of a more important initiative to support.
“I think everyone is a little more generous during the holiday season as it is a time for reflection and giving to others,” he said. “Our guests have certainly stepped up to the plate and have been very generous.”
Final Take
The Eric Trump Foundation supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital